Hyundai Motor India (HMIL), one of India’s leading passenger vehicles manufacturers, has been taking huge strides to cut down on its carbon footprint both on-road and off-road.

Taking advantage of the country's robust railway network, Hyundai Motor India shipped 26 percent of its total domestic wholesale vehicles through rail freight in 2024.

This translates to a total of 1,56,724 units transported through Indian Railways, cutting down on almost 18,352 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Interestingly, the company claims that 100 percent of its dispatches to North East India were utilised rail freight. Furthermore, between 2021 and 2024, Hyundai Motor India transported 5,37,499 vehicles using the rail route, which led to a prevention of 63,452 tonnes of CO2 emissions versus road freight.

Tarun Garg, Whole-time Director and Chief Operating Officer – Hyundai Motor India, said, “At HMIL, we have been relentless in our pursuit of promoting sustainability in all facets of our operations, be it manufacturing, dispatches, sales or after sales support. By utilising Indian Railways’ extensive rail-network for delivering Hyundai vehicles from our plant in Sriperumbudur, Chennai, to multiple locations across India. As the Government of India continues to upgrade the rail infrastructure with dedicated freight corridors and modern and energy efficient rolling stock ensuring faster movement of goods, HMIL remains committed to utilising rail freight to optimise its logistic operations, leading to long-term reduction in emissions.”

Leading construction equipment manufacturer SANY India has inaugurated a new factory expansion at its 90-acre manufacturing facility in Pune, representing a major step forward for localised manufacturing and increased production capacity in India.

The new facility has a strong fabrication capacity of over 100,000 metric tonnes annually in addition to an annual production capacity of over 14,000 units. These skills put SANY India in a position to effectively meet the growing needs of the mining, energy and construction industries both domestically and internationally while preserving operational precision and flexibility. This reaffirms SANY's dedication to the Indian market and to making India a worldwide centre for sourcing.

Emphasising the strategic importance of the expanded facility, Xiang Wenbo, Chairman, SANY Group, said, "This new factory represents a significant step forward in our commitment to delivering world-class products with utmost precision. By incorporating the latest manufacturing technologies, we are positioning ourselves to meet both the challenges of today and the demands of tomorrow." India is a key operational base for SANY's international operations and a pillar of the company's worldwide strategy, he said, underscoring the country's long-term potential.

Deepak Garg, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, SANY India, said, "The inauguration of our new factory expansion represents a significant leap in SANY India's manufacturing capabilities. This facility also supports our commitment to the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Make in India’ by enhancing exports to key markets and driving increased localisation in our manufacturing processes. These efforts not only boost India’s manufacturing prowess but also strengthen our role in the nation's infrastructure development story."

Pure EV, an electric two-wheeler start-up, has integrated 500 KWh of Energy Storage Solutions (ESS) and 125 KW of solar system with DG and grid at its facility in Telangana, to cut down on its carbon footprint.

The start-up claims it has been able to reduce 60 percent of power bill and 65 percent in DG fuel bills compared to FY2023. The 500 KWh installed capacity fully consists of refurbished batteries that was repurposed from its customers who exchanged their old batteries for the Pure EV’s 5th generation batteries.

Dr Nishanth Dongari, Founder & MD, Pure EV, said, “We are happy that our actions stay true to our genesis of Power Using Renewable Energy (PURE), which not only helps us reduce our environmental impact but also significantly cut energy costs. By harnessing the power of solar energy in combination with cutting-edge energy storage technology, we are making powerful strides towards a more sustainable future. This approach not only reduces our reliance on non-renewable resources but also enhances our operational efficiency, ensuring that we are driving both environmental and economic benefits. As we continue to innovate and integrate these green technologies into our business model, we are reinforcing our commitment to sustainability and shaping a cleaner, more energy-efficient tomorrow."

Going forward, Pure EV aims to add 125 KW solar system and 500 KWh ESS by 2026.

RRP Electronics Limited has announced the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with AMB (Taiwan) to produce advanced memory modules of technologies such as SPI NAND, MICROSD, EMMC and SSD. 
Projected to generate US$ 25 million in annual revenue, the signing of MoU marks yet another milestone in the push for local manufacture of semiconductors in India for consumption in various electronic products across sectors like automotive, FMCG and others.   
The MoU encompasses comprehensive technology sharing, including package structure details, substrate designs, test programme development and tool design support. With extended capacities starting from 2GB onwards, the new memory solutions will cater to increasing demand in the global electronics market.
Speaking on this landmark collaboration, Rajendra Chodankar, Chairman of RRP Electronics Limited said, “RRP Electronics is thrilled to partner with AMB, Taiwan. Through this association, we will deploy cutting-edge technology at our state-of-the-art OSAT facility, ensuring our products are ready to serve leading corporate giants like Samsung and other major players. This collaboration sets the stage for delivering US$25 million in revenue annually and further positions us as a global leader in semiconductor innovation.”
The production will take place at RRP Electronics’ 40,000 sq. ft. OSAT (Outsourced Semiconductor Assembly and Test) facility located in Mahape (Navi Mumbai), which became operational in September 2024. To meet growing demand, the company is also expanding its manufacturing footprint with new production lines at its upcoming plant at MIDC, Taloja, expected to commence operations within the next two years.

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) has released the automotive retail sales data for November, which saw a total of 3,208,719 vehicles sold across categories, marking a 11.2 percent growth over November 2023.

This saw two-wheelers clocking its best-ever performance for the month at 2,615,953 units, up 15.8 percent YoY, three-wheeler at 108,337 units, up 4.2 percent YoY, passenger vehicles sales at 321,943 units, down 13.7 percent YoY, tractors sales at 80,519 units, up 29.8 percent YoY and commercial vehicles sales at 81,967 units, down 6 percent YoY.

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, stated, “While November was initially expected to build on its prior momentum, particularly due to the marriage season, dealer feedback suggests that this segment underperformed overall expectations. Although rural markets offered some support, primarily in the two-wheeler category, marriage-related sales remained subdued. The late occurrence of Deepawali at the end of October also caused a spillover of festive registrations into November, affecting the month’s sales trajectory.”

He shared that while November sales in certain segments were at record high, the marriage season’s contribution fell short of expectations, offering only limited relief from rural India.

The passenger vehicles sales in particular faced notable headwinds, on the back of weak market sentiment, limited product variety and insufficient new launches, compounded by the shift of festive demand into October.

“Although rural interest was present, it failed to significantly improve sentiment.

Inventory levels have reduced by about 10 days, but to remain high at around 65-68 days. FADA continues to urge OEMs to further rationalise inventory so that the industry can enter the new year on a healthier footing, reducing the need for additional discounts,” stated Vigneshwar.

On the CV sales he explained that the segment also struggled due to restricted product choices, older model issues, limited financier support, and the absence of major festivals in November following a strong October.

“External elements such as elections, a slowdown in coal and cement industries, and weak market sentiment also weighed heavily on this category,” he said.

Going forward he expects that with the prospects of a bumper Kharif harvest is likely to temper food inflation and the broader macroeconomic environment appears will improve, potentially aiding consumer sentiment in the months ahead.

“However, the immediate December outlook derived from dealer feedback is mixed. Category-wise Expectations:

Two-wheelers: Dealers suggest that while some buyers remain hesitant—either awaiting new-year models or influenced by subdued post-festive sentiment—others could be drawn by potential year-end discounts and stable rural demand. Although momentum may not be robust, incremental schemes and easing inflation could lend mild support, placing two-wheeler on a cautiously positive footing.

Passenger vehicles: In the passenger vehicles segment, heavy discounting and improved product availability are expected to help offset weak consumer sentiment and a general year-end lull. While some customers are deferring purchases for new-year models, overall interest could pick up due to aggressive offers and end of year promotions. This sets a tone of cautious optimism, with a moderate chance of improved sales compared to November.

Commercial vehicles: The commercial vehicles category faces a more challenging environment. Factors such as subdued infrastructure activity and customers holding back for newer model-year vehicles continue to dampen demand.

“Nonetheless, selective OEM schemes and year-end offers may provide a limited lift. On balance, while the CV segment’s expectations are not uniformly positive, there is some hope that targeted incentives and stable financing conditions could prevent a sharper decline. In sum, while the near-term outlook for December is not overwhelmingly strong across segments, it leans towards stability with pockets of potential growth, underlining a sentiment that remains overall remains cautiously optimistic.

Representational image: David McBee/Pexels